Ethel Lighter
Ethel Lighter

Obituary of Ethel Eunice Lighter

Ethel Eunice Lighter was born September 14, 1911, to Lou and Anine (Jensen) Hollesen on a farm near Rembrandt, Iowa. She went to school at Sioux Rapids, graduating from Sioux Rapids High School in 1931. Ethel was united in marriage to Jay H. Lighter on March 9, 1935 at Sac City, Iowa. To this union, one son was born, Jay Lighter, Jr. The family lived in Sioux Rapids for eight years, then spent a year in Sibley, Iowa, before spending the next fifteen years in Milford. In 1959 the family moved to Sacred Heart, Minnesota and became the owners of the Sacred Heart News for seventeen years. They retired in 1976, and moved back to Milford in 1984. Ethel was a member of the First Lutheran Church in West Okoboji. A homemaker, Ethel enjoyed being surrounded by family and friends. She also enjoyed writing letters, listening to music, and flowers. Ethel passed away May 5, 2009 at Milford Nursing Center in Milford at ninety-seven years of age. She was preceded in death by her husband, Jay, Sr., on June 29, 1992, son, Jay, Jr., on March 30, 2009, her parents, brothers, Bennie, Harry, Vernie, Darrell and Jack, sisters, Lulu Cullen and Stella Crow. Surviving are a daughter-in-law, Charlene Lighter of Milford; granddaughters, Susan Gould and her husband, Rick, and Michelle Allen and her husband, Troy; great-grandchildren, Ashlee and Spenser Allen, Samantha Gould, all of Olathe, Kansas, and Alex Gould of Ft. Bragg, North Carolina, as well as many extended family and friends.